Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-07-21


"Ye bet. remember it, ole hoss," said
Hamp with that peculiar Western dialect
which sounds SO harsh TO cultured ears.
"Ye left so sudding, Hamp. What
made yer do it2 went ter bed expectin'
yer back next mornin' an 10 an behold,
yer didn't come, an i found out arterward
that ye'd put out fur Californy."
ayes, went sudden."i
@Struck it rich, hear2"
"Purty good lead"
"Glad ter hear il. / want ter see ye, nm
talk with .ye over it all after awhile, when
get time"
"Ill do II, ole hoss."
He had always been a very quiet man,
and il was not strange that he should seem
80 silent on this evening.
"Say, Jonathan, ar the boys lookin
arter yer horses?" asked Mr.. Stump.
"Yes, Pete; they've got bout all they kin
do, though. fur thar's bout twenty or
thirty teams thar ter look arter. an more
The roads seemed alive with horsemen
and people in wagons, oil coming to Pete
Stump's.
"Tilda, he looks kinder sad, don't he?"
said Jonathan, as he sat by his wife in the
big sitting room, watching the face Of the
man who had left the neighborhood
pauper so many years ago and returned
millionaire.
"'Pears me he looks kinder disappointed
like, said Aunt Tilda, gazing at the face
for q long time through her glasses.
"Disappointed-why should he be dis
appointed, ole woman; don't We know he's
q millionaire now2 He's got all the money
he kin possibly want. an moren he'd ever
spend. Guess he kin enjoy himself some
now."
"But look at him. He sighs, Jonathan,
and looks about. Oh, Jonathan, money
can't alters make people happy"
Il guess it d make me most powful
happy jist now."
At this moment supper was announced,
and the older folks we're hurried off to the
great old-fashioned country dining room,
where the table fairly groaned beneath its
load of good things. Country delicacies
Always ~pieey And fSRSlesF. ih0p.~ can ba
tables grow in their season and have all the
Juice and flavor nature intended-haye
not the stale, fiat taste of premature
hot-house development of the wilted vege-
tables found in cities.
Uncle Jonathan was placed at the head
of the table, so he could carve the turkey,
his wife on his right, and Hamp Flatmarsh,
whom they insisted should eat at the trst
table, on his left.
Musicians were scraping their violins,
getting ready for the shake down" as
soon as supper should DO over.
The younger people, who were to come
| in at the second table, we're in the great
sitting room chatting and laughing as only
youngsters can.
al say, Tilda, hev We seen anything O.
Betsy this evenin?" Uncle Jonathan
asked.
"Who? Wot did We say?" asked the re-
turned Californian, starting up as If from
q reverie.
"Betsy Camp; she was to been here"
| "She wasl"
| "Yes, heerd she war comm"
She'll be here yit, put in Aunt Tilda.
| "D'ye reckon she will! Dye reckon she
will, Aunt Tilda?" There was depth of
pathetic engerness about the question
which greatly intensified the fire in the
dark gray eyes.
"Oh, YES, she'll como, Ill be bound"
Then Hamp seemed 10 recover his self
possession, and sank into his usual re-
served manner. If some powerful emo
tions we're raging within that heart, they
were hidden by an nrmor of steel, and were
known only to himself.
The California millionaire finished his
supper, and then went into the sitting
room, where he took hi, broad -brimmec
white hat from the peS on the wall, ant
drawing il low over his eyes, sat down, ap-
parently oblivious TO all his surroundings
little hustle ut tho door announced {
new arrival, and some one said:
"She's come at last"
The forty-niner looked up from unde
his broad b1m and his eye instantly blnzeC
with new light. He started to his feet
but checked himself as he remembere,
where he was, and sat down again. The ney
arrival was little woman with large BLU
eyes and profusiou Of golden hair. Sh'
was past thirty, and the combined influence
of time and care had left some wrinkles ol
her face. though there wa, no little beaut.
remaining. This was Betsy Camp, tn
"neighborhood schOolmarm
Betsy was hurried out to supper, Will
the very man in whose honor the enter
tainment was given sat swearing at his i'll
fortune.
She returned and was then presented I
him.
"Betsy? Course know her, "cried HnmI
starting mp and seizing one small hand i
his. "Why, it seems an age since l SO
eyes on her, but I'd know 'er yit 'mong
million"
; Betsy's pale face turned very red, an
her eyes dropped, while Hamp still hel
her hand. TIE music now struck up, an
|
"Come, Betsy; it's been long time sine
you an me TUX trot tergether; let's hev
tramp wi the rest"
"Oh, lIamp! belong to church now, sh
said softly; "besidcs, teach the school"
, "Itll be all right"
do you think it will?'
) "Know it."
| They were in the "first set, and when
4 was over Hamp, who seemed suddenly in
{ spircd with new life, led his flushed par
e ner to n set in the very farthest corner {
the room.
I "Betsy," he whispered in his coarse Pa
5 cific slope dialect, Its been long tim
since 1 sot eyes on We, but i never forge
' We, nor that Sunday evening when left y
on the hill.
2 "Hamp, what made you 90 so sudden'
Q she asked.
He tried TO speak, but his throat SCENE
s to clog up despite himself. lie crosse
Q and uncrossed his legs, kicked his heav
o mining boots on the floor, and drew b
!, broad -brimmed hat lower down over h
e eyes. At last he said:
"Betsy, guess war n dot-rotted foo
8 Fact is, was mad. Did ye mean itH'
"What?" she asked.
!, "what yer said bout Newt Bowman"
"I don't remember now what l did say
IS "Don't yer know axed about goin' wit
n We ter camp-mcetin on ther ne
d Wednesday, an you said maybe ye'd
o with Newt Bowman"
! -Oh, Hamp, I only said that to ten'
d you."
d "war that all2"
at was"
IL "Well, il n most broke me mp. an swo
=, I'd leave an never come back. an did {
10 In Californy. It's been n long tim